Exchange for earlier departure?

[Zevzec]

I have booked a trip from Pittsburgh to Baltimore via DC. Understandably, for the guaranteed connection, Amtrak.com leaves considerable slop in the schedule, and offers a 3:25 departure from WAS, even though the Cap Ltd is scheduled to arrive at 1:10. If the Cap Ltd does arrive on time, is it possible to take the WAS-BAL ticket to the ticket counter and get it exchanged for an earlier train?

(I have noticed on past trips that the price marked on the second ticket is $0.00; is that precisely to hinder exchanges like the one I am mentioning here?)

Thanks

 

[Tracktwentynine]

I don't know the answer to your question. However, if getting to Baltimore quicker is your main goal, there may (I didn't check the schedule) be a MARC Penn Line (commuter rail) train that could work. You'd have to pay $7 for a ticket to Baltimore Penn Station from WAS. Tickets are sold in QuickTrak machines (select "purchase MARC tickets") and at the main ticket counter.

The Penn Line runs on the Northeast Corridor (the same tracks Amtrak uses) and is in fact operated by Amtrak. Trains on the Penn Line operate about every hour or so throughout the day. It will take slightly longer for a MARC local to cover the distance between WAS and BAL than a NE Regional or Acela.

You can get more information about MARC at http://mta.maryland.gov/.

 

[Shanghai]

I have exchanged tickets to an earlier departure. Depending on the schedule and fares, you may be charged more money to exchange.

Since your ticket is bundled with the PGH to WAS, that may be a different situation. I don't think the NE Regional train fare from WAS

to BAL is very expensive if you have to purchase a new ticket.

 

[rvm]

I've done it before changing in Washington from the Capitol to an earlier Regional than scheduled. Usually, I go from Chicago to Richmond. Typical weekday Regional is 125, departing something like 3:55, but 95 leaves at 2:30, leaving plenty of time if the Capitol arrives on time or not too late.

Last trip, the ticket agent made the exchange for no extra charge.

I've also bought a separate ticket for the earlier train, just in case. If I don't need it, I exchange it or get a refund.

As for the $0.00 value, there is actually an exchange value for that section of your ticket. One way to find out its value is to go the Amtrak website and enter your trip as a Multi City trip. After you enter your cities and pick your trains, it'll tell you the price breakdown for each segment.